Just wondering. I'm still taking lessons, but definitely prefer up-picking to downpicking. I get 2FTL, but I'm wondering if index lead is the same thing as Seeger's basic strum (which I play with 3 fingers, but used to play with 2).
9 Comments |
 | chip arnold says:
10/11/2012 8:22:19 PM
index lead can be as simple as the so called basic strum (but with the trailing fingers braced on the head) or it can be much more complex. Listen to the 2-finger explanation audio on my music page to get an idea of what you can do with it.
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 | majikgator says:
10/11/2012 8:37:09 PM
Chip is the go to guy on index lead IMHO. There is a wide variety of two finger index lead styles.
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chuckb says:
10/12/2012 7:11:32 AM
Yes, index lead is Pete's "basic strum," which, by the way, he didn't invent. An old news reel (What's that!--showing my age) made in the late 30s shows a string band performing for FDR and at least one of the banjoist is up-picking. I started out down picking. However, last year a tremor I have in my picking hand got worse, and I was having difficulty getting my fingers to hit the correct strings. I began using up-picking most of the time. I have more control, and I didn't have to relearn any of the songs and tunes in my repertoire; I still use the back of my finger-nail for brush strokes, i.e., in some of the literature this is called up-picking with claw hammer rhythm. Aurally it is hard to distinguish up from down picking, and it isn’t that easy visually. A difference is noticed if you use an up-brush as did Wade Mainer and Bascom Lamar Lunsford (both up-pickers pre-dating Pete's book). Another advantage is that you can slip into thumb lead, old time three finger and other up-picking more seamlessly than from down picking.
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| chip arnold says:
10/12/2012 7:18:40 AM
"Pete's "basic strum," which, by the way, he didn't invent."
This past weekend at the J.C. Campbell Folk school in N.C. I watched an elderly woman from Marble, N.C. playing in "Seeger style". Roberta learned this style as a child; long before Pete popularized it.
The more common forms of index lead 2-finger picking (both T and I lead) do have the trailing fingers resting on the head as opposed to the more floating hand of Seeger style.
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 | abarten says:
10/12/2012 4:10:53 PM
At the moment I'm taking lessons, and we're going through "How to Play Banjo" by Tim Jumper. He goes through (in order) up-picking, left-hand techniques (pull-offs, hammers, slides, drop-thumb, etc.), frailing, clawhammer, and bluegrass (Scruggs). Years ago I started on my own using Seeger's book (I love that book). I find I can play the basic strum with ease, speed and confidence. Just the opposite with clawhammer, despite being on frailing and clawhammer for a couple of months (Seeger says it took him 6 months). Not in Jumper's book is thumb lead and index lead (other than basic strum). I've been trying 2FTL on my own with some success and really enjoy it. My teacher keeps suggesting that up-picking may be what's best for me, but I'm still determined to learn CH and Scruggs (also up-picking). I haven't found much specifically on 2FIL, so I'm interested in what people have to say. And I WILL check out the references. Thanks.
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| abarten says:
10/12/2012 4:13:38 PM
At the moment I'm taking lessons, and we're going through "How to Play Banjo" by Tim Jumper. He goes through (in order) up-picking, left-hand techniques (pull-offs, hammers, slides, drop-thumb, etc.), frailing, clawhammer, and bluegrass (Scruggs). Years ago I started on my own using Seeger's book (I love that book). I find I can play the basic strum with ease, speed and confidence. Just the opposite with clawhammer, despite being on frailing and clawhammer for a couple of months (Seeger says it took him 6 months). Not in Jumper's book is thumb lead and index lead (other than basic strum). I've been trying 2FTL on my own with some success and really enjoy it. My teacher keeps suggesting that up-picking may be what's best for me, but I'm still determined to learn CH and Scruggs (also up-picking). I haven't found much specifically on 2FIL, so I'm interested in what people have to say. And I WILL check out the references. Thanks.
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| abarten says:
10/12/2012 4:14:37 PM
At the moment I'm taking lessons, and we're going through "How to Play Banjo" by Tim Jumper. He goes through (in order) up-picking, left-hand techniques (pull-offs, hammers, slides, drop-thumb, etc.), frailing, clawhammer, and bluegrass (Scruggs). Years ago I started on my own using Seeger's book (I love that book). I find I can play the basic strum with ease, speed and confidence. Just the opposite with clawhammer, despite being on frailing and clawhammer for a couple of months (Seeger says it took him 6 months). Not in Jumper's book is thumb lead and index lead (other than basic strum). I've been trying 2FTL on my own with some success and really enjoy it. My teacher keeps suggesting that up-picking may be what's best for me, but I'm still determined to learn CH and Scruggs (also up-picking). I haven't found much specifically on 2FIL, so I'm interested in what people have to say. And I WILL check out the references. Thanks.
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| abarten says:
10/12/2012 4:45:50 PM
Arrgh. I only posted once - not thrice!
Chip - thanks for the explanation on your music page. I'm going to study it. I'm enjoying your clips. My index finger doesn't )yet?) produce a consistent sound. It had me wondering if I could do it, but I do like the simple sound of index lead w/o the strums.
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BobCu says:
11/19/2012 4:15:18 PM
Some very good comments here. I think I have really started down the road of the "Seeger" style of a floating hand, upfinger and claw strum. I will go from there. I agree with chuckb that it really sounds very similar to claw, but I think it opens up another avenue to go out and explore, and it really has improved my pinches. I think for me the index lead mixing with strum is a great starting point to develop my playing style.
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